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This article explores the critical distinction between providing genuine support and engaging in enabling behaviors that stunt a loved one’s growth. It emphasizes that while helping assists with tasks someone cannot perform themselves, enabling shields individuals from the natural consequences of their choices, often leading to codependency. To shift from enabling to empowering, the article […]

This guide outlines a compassionate, step-by-step framework for discussing substance abuse treatment, emphasizing the importance of thorough preparation, setting clear boundaries, and utilizing supportive communication techniques. It also offers tailored strategies for different relationships and provides practical advice for managing resistance to ensure the conversation remains productive and focused on long-term recovery. Discovering that someone […]

Living with both bipolar disorder and substance use requires navigating complex challenges like self-medication and shared biological factors. Recovery for dual diagnosis is achievable through integrated treatment plans that simultaneously address mental health and substance abuse issues via professional therapy, specialized medication, and strong support networks. Living with both bipolar disorder and a substance use […]

This article serves as a guide for identifying potential signs of addiction in loved ones, emphasizing that recognizing these patterns is an important first step toward offering help. It outlines various behavioral, physical, emotional, and financial indicators to watch for, while advising readers to approach the situation with empathy, support, and professional guidance rather than […]

5/2/2024 – I crashed my car and wound up on crutches with bruised ribs and an even more bruised ego. Nothing was coming to save me. Not time. Not luck. Not another apology. Not another promise. I’ve been asked if that was my rock bottom. Honestly, I don’t know. I called Mountainside the next day. […]

When I was asked to write this column, I was a little taken aback. Me? How could I possibly be asked to write something that is supposed to inspire people in recovery? A little over six months ago, I would have told you that I would never be “in recovery” because I didn’t have a […]

A thoughtfully planned intervention is a structured, compassionate conversation intended to help a loved one recognize the impact of their substance use and accept support. Families should consider an intervention when substance use consistently interferes with daily functioning, such as missing work or experiencing repeated health or legal issues. The article describes models like the […]

The article addresses teen gaming addiction, distinguishing it from a hobby by focusing on behavioral patterns like loss of control and negative impacts on school, sleep, and relationships, rather than just time spent gaming. This addiction is rooted in how video games activate dopamine pathways in the still-developing adolescent brain, potentially leading to issues with […]

The article addresses the growing concern of social media addiction in teens, defining it as compulsive technology use that, unlike normal screen time, results in loss of control, withdrawal symptoms, and disruption of responsibilities. This dependency is fueled by the adolescent brain’s unique response to the platforms’ engineered reward systems, which can exacerbate issues like […]

This article addresses the growing concern of screen addiction in children and teenagers, emphasizing the need for parents to differentiate between heavy use and genuine addiction characterized by impaired control and harm to wellbeing. It outlines common symptoms like withdrawal and preoccupation, explains the neurobiological role of dopamine in driving this behavioral addiction, and provides […]

The phrase “One Day at a Time” is a central philosophy in addiction recovery, offering a powerful, manageable strategy for daily sobriety when the thought of “forever” clean feels impossible. It serves as a practical, psychological, and spiritual tool that encourages focusing solely on the current 24 hours, thereby making change achievable by aligning commitments […]

An author who is in recovery shares a multi-year personal story about their connection with an unhoused veteran struggling with addiction at Union Station. Over the years, the author offered nonjudgmental support and conversation that provided the man with inspiration and hope, even through several setbacks and relapses. The article concludes with the man achieving […]